Drying machine



P. REED.

I DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1921.

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To all whom it may camera:

Be it known that l, Fnnnnnrc Parson Raise, a citizen of the United States, residing at East (lrange, inthe county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in mrying' Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvement in drying machines, of the character shown and described in applications Serial hlos. 434,231 filed February 6, 1920, 434,321 filed December 21, 1920, and 456,857 filed March 30, 1921, and relates especially to an improved form of Sn porting means for the material to-be drie as for instance, the web from a paper making machine during its passage lln rying machines now in use, the web is supported between drying felts and is drawn over a series of heated cylinders. The felts fit closely against the opposite faces of the web, and the drying of the web is for the greater part by absorption through the felts, the moisture absorbed being afterwards evaporated from the felts. When the felts are -1I1 contact with the cylinders, or in proximity thereto, the moisture is driven off in the form of vapor by the heat of the cylinders. This vapor is afterwards condensed u on the cooler portions of the web, and of t e felts. Hence, there is a succession of alternating periods of drying and moistening, and the drying is a slow expensive operation. Furthermore, to permit drying without scorching of the web, the temperature of the drying cylinder must be carefully controlled within relatively narrow limits, and the highest temperature best suited to quick drying may not be used.

The object of the present invention is to provide a supporting means for the web, of

such nature, that a free circulation of air is provided between the web and the carrying means, in every direction, whlle at t e same time the web is supported at points closely set, thou h of relatively'restricted area, to expose t e larfiest possible amount of web surface to the rying action of the dr er.

the drawingsare 1 is a mctional view of a drymlag,

unit provided with the improvedsu porting means. Figure 2 is .a partial to p an view.

Figure '3 is an enlarged plan a support,- ing roller. Figure 4 is a front view of the roller with the support in section.-- Figure 1s a view similar to Figure 3, showing another embodiment of the invention. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 of the said embodiment.

lln Figure 1,there is shown one unit of the drying machine forming the subject matter of application Serial No. 356,669 filed February 6, 1920. This unit comprises a casmg 1, supported by a suitable frame 2, having within the same any suitable form of dryln means. At each end of the casing a rol' er 3 is journaled on parallel axes. Uther rollers 4 are journaled parallel with the rollers 3, between the same, and the rollers 4 are spaced apart from each other and from the rollers 3. These rollers 3 and 4 support the upper run of an endless carrier for the paper web. The endless carrier is composed of a number of inde ndent strands 5, which may be in the fiii'm of bands, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, or in the form of wires, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Each of these strands is an endless belt, and they are supported by the rollers 3 and 4, and by rollers 6 and 7, arranged beneath the casing 1. The roller 6 is at the center of the casing 1, while the rollers 7 are at the ends, just below the rollers 3. The rollers 7 are tension rollers, being journaled in the ends of arms 8, which are pivoted to the frame 2 as shown, and counter weights 9 are arranged on the arms. By means of these counter weights the tension upon the endless conveyor constituted by the strands 5, may be varied. The rollers 3 are grooved annularly as shown at 10, to receive the bands '5, and the said grooves are of a.

depth corresponding to the thichiess of the bands, so that the outer surfaces of the bands are flush with the peripheral surfaces of the rollers. The band receiving grooves 10 are shown a construction wherein the supporting means is in the form of endless belts 11, or wires, the rollers 12 correspondin to rollers 3 and '4, being annularly groove as shown at 13, to receive the wires, The wires And llllll 11 are spaced apart from each other a distance corresponding approximately to the spacing of the bands 5, and they may be supported in the same manner as the bands 5, in Figure 1. Either construction provides a supporting means for the paper web, or other article to be dried, which exposes the largest possible amount of the web'surface, engaging the web over surfaces which are relatively restricted and relatively close set. Thus the web willbe supported throughout its extent, to prevent buckling, warping and the like, while at the same time it will be held from the plates 14, forming the top of casing 1, a distance such that there will be no danger of scorching, because of the free circulatlon of air between the plates and the web. With the usual form of dryer, the web is separated from the source of heat, that is, the plates 14, by a solid damp felt, through which, b conduction, the heat passes to the paper. ith the improved supporting means, the air heated by the plates 14 may pass directly to the face of the web, and the plates may be heated to a very high temperature without danger of scorching the web. Neither is the web subject to strains, such as may arise from changes in the usual hot, moist carryin apron of felt, and there are no smooth h1gh1y heated surfaces to which the paper may adhere. The improved supporting means for the paper web may be of any sultable non-combustible material, as for instance, asbestos, copper, brass, steel or aluminum. When bands are used, they may be of any of the materials specified. When wire is used, it is preferably of copper, brass or steel.

I claim:

1. In a drying machine means for supporting the web to be dried comprising a series of endless flexible metal strands arranged alongside of each other with the upper runs of the strands in the same horizontal plane, and means for supporting said strands in such manner that they may be moved by the paper as it travels, or the paper may move over the strands.

2. In a drying machine means for supporting the web to be dried comprising a series of endless flexible metal strands arranged alongside of each other with the upper runs of the strands in the same horizontal plane, means for supporting said strands in such manner that they may he moved by the paper as it travels, or the paper may move over the strands, with the upper runs held in spaced substantially parallel relation.

3. In a drying machine, means for supporting the web to be dried, comprising a serial of endless flexible strands of non-c0mbustible material, means for supporting the strands so that they may be moved by the web to be dried, said means comprising rollers grooved circumferentially to receive the strands and hold them in spaced relation. the strands being spaced from each other a distance corresponding substantially to the width of the strands.

In testimon whereof I afiix my si ature.

FR DERIC PAYSON R LED. 

